A statement on starwars.com said: “We have the greatest fans in this or any other galaxy. In appreciation of the fans, we wanted them to be the first to know the title of the next chapter in the Skywalker saga.”

The Last Jedi, latest in the Skywalker saga in a galaxy far far away will pick up right where The Force Awakens left off. That means Rogue One and the forthcoming Han Solo film will be standalone films in what has been termed the Star Wars Anthology series.

The Last Jedi stars Mark Hamill and the late Carrie Fisher, in her last movie appearance before her untimely passing alongside series newcomers Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver and John Boyega. It is being written and directed by Rian Johnson who revealed that Fisher had finished shooting her scenes for the Last Jedi before her death in 2016.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi will be released worldwide on 15 December 2017.